Rukia's Story
by IronFlameDragonSlayer
Summary: She was the only one who could make him laugh.


Rukia's Story.

This is Rukia's Story.

When my son, Ichigo, talks about growing up in Karakura Town, most of the time it's about Kego, Chad and Orihime.

Rukia was different though, she had a gift.

" _...And then Renji fell in the pool, just like this!" Rukia flopped into the flower bed._

" _Haha! He did?"_

Rukia could make Ichigo laugh.

Karin always said that Keigo was 'too funny.' I think she meant that like salt on eggs, a little goes a long way. Don't get me wrong. We all loved Kego. Next to Orihime and Chad, he was Ichigo's oldest and dearest friend. But Keigo found most of his humor from making fun of how odd Ichigo was...

And Rukia...made Ichigo laugh by making fun of how odd life was…

 _Rukia picked up the rubber frog, being used in science class, and began singing while making it dance. "HELLO MY BABY, HELLO MY HONEY-!"_

" _Haha!"_

One time, Rukia made Ichigo laugh so hard, milk came out of my son's nose. I'm not sure Karin found as amusing as the they did, but she loved seeing Ichigo happy, no matter how hard she denied it. In some odd way when Ichigo laughed, we forgot that he was different from other people.

To this day I wish he laughed more.

Ichigo and Rukia had lived in Karakura Town all their lives. Rukia's father, Ukitake, owned the General store, even though it was her older brother Kaien and her mother Hisana that actually ran the store.

It wasn't till their junior year of high school that they became best friends,

" _Don't worry Ichigo, it's nothing. I just hurt it while playing soccer. The Doc says not to put too much weight on it." Rukia reassured.._

" _Soccer? Are sure?"_

" _Positive!" She grinned._

I am sure at first that Ichigo thought Rukia was pulling a prank. Rukia wasn't into sports and never played them. I imagine that that at that moment, Ichigo wished he wasn't the son of a professional doctor.

Ichigo told his sister, Yuzu, what he had seen the minute he got home. My son knew what it was. And despite all his powers and abilities, Ichigo couldn't understand why Rukia didn't tell him the truth. Yuzu tried to explain that Rukia would tell him when she was ready. When you can see ghosts and have the powers of a shinigami, it's hard to learn to be patient.

" _Hey Ichigo, can we talk?" Rukia smiled._

" _What the hell did you do to your hair?"_

" _It all the new rage! C'mon! I'm drop dead sexy!" Rukia rubbed her head._

" _Haha!"_

The school year was almost over when Rukia dropped by to see Ichigo.

" _What can I do to help, Rukia?"_

" _What you always do. Be my friend. Laugh at my stupid jokes." Rukia leaned in more on the fence. "Ichigo, I've got the best friends, the best doctors, the best outlooks. Don't worry." Rukia smiled as the sun set._

Rukia had cancer. It started in her leg, spread to her jaw, and now it was in her lungs. Asking Ichigo not to worry was...well, let's just say that it was all Ichigo did from that day on.

Three days later, Miss Yoruichi came from a staff meeting. Ichigo saw that her eyes were red and swollen. She had the impossible task of telling a group of children that one of their own had died. School was closed that day. They offered counseling in the library to those who wanted it. Mr. Urahara let everyone know that he was available at all hours.

Ichigo didn't didn't want to talk to anybody.

He just ran away.

He ran all the way into the night.

I found Ichigo at nearly three in the morning, outside on the roof.

" _ **Tonight, Love is rationed  
Tonight, Across the nation  
Tonight, Love reflects worldwide  
Tonight, Love is rationed  
Tonight, Across the nation  
Tonight, Love reflects worldwide  
Almost another day  
**_

 _ **See you some other day!"**_

 _Rukia sang at the top of her lungs._

" _Shhh haha, the whole town will hear you from here!"_

" _I know, that's the point!" Rukia grinned._

" _Haha!"_

There was something on Ichigo's face that I hadn't seen in a long time.

Sorrow.

" _Why…?"_

" _Ichigo."_

I started out trying to tell Ichigo that maybe Rukia was in a better place...but Ichigo would hear none of it. What better place could there be without your friends and family?

" _There are two things in life that we can be sure of. You are born and you will die and you don't have anything to say about either of them. But, it's what you do in between- that's what you have control over. That's how you live your life."_

" _It's just so unfair."_

" _Yes. Yes, it is."_

I hadn't held my boy in my arms since he was nine years old. I wish I could make the pain go away, but this is something that Ichigo was going to have to learn on his own.

We all do.

Ichigo went up to Rukia's bedroom after the girl had passed on. He found a note that had fallen behind the bed. Rukia's parents and brother were grateful enough that after they had read the note, they let Ichigo keep it.

 _Your destiny does not lie_

 _in a hospital bed._

 _Far greater achievements are_

 _to come._

 _Own your destiny._

 _Best friends, best doctors,_

 _best outlook, no worries._

 _Rukia 17/2/05_

Rukia had signed it and dated it four months to the day before she died. Ichigo didn't know it then, but Rukia's words would be those that he would live by everyday.

I'd like to think that it's Ichigo's way of honoring Rukia, because the world is a little less special without her.

Without the girl that could make Ichigo laugh.


End file.
